Healing Trauma Through the Body: A Neuroscience-Based Approach to Empowerment and Restoration
By Dr. Sadie Laronde, D.C. | Trauma-Informed Chiropractor in Ottawa | @drsades
Healing from trauma is not about “fixing” yourself—it’s about reconnecting with your nervous system, reclaiming your body, and realizing that what happened to you does not define you. As an Anishnaabekwe chiropractor practicing in Ottawa, I’ve created the Healing Trauma Workshop to offer science-backed, culturally grounded, and embodied tools for anyone navigating trauma and chronic stress.
This post summarizes the core teachings of that workshop—from the neuroscience of trauma to somatic techniques that bring lasting healing into the body.
Why Talk About Trauma?
Understanding trauma gave me hope. For years, I thought something was wrong with me—until I learned how trauma lives in the nervous system. This realization helped me, and many others, release shame and step into self-compassion.
Trauma isn’t just what happened to you. It’s what happened inside you in response to overwhelming events—physically, emotionally, or spiritually. As an Indigenous woman, this perspective offered liberation from stigma and a pathway toward true wellness.
What Happens in the Brain and Body
The brain develops in layers:
Reptilian brain (brainstem): survival reflexes—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.
Limbic system: emotional regulation and memory (develops by age 10–12).
Prefrontal cortex (PFC): awareness, empathy, and executive function (develops by ~25 years old).
When trauma occurs, the brain shifts into survival mode. Our Reticular Activating System (RAS) filters new experiences through past trauma, causing us to react as though we’re still in danger. This is why seemingly “safe” situations can trigger intense emotional or physical responses.
Chronic trauma disrupts parasympathetic states—our rest, digest, and connect functions—keeping the body in heightened stress or freeze responses. The PFC shuts down, and we’re left in emotional or dissociative states, unable to self-regulate or fully engage with life.
Polyvagal Theory & The Vagus Nerve
Healing trauma begins by activating the vagus nerve, which controls our ability to calm down and connect. This cranial nerve influences everything from heart rate to digestion to emotional safety.
Simple vagal nerve stimulation practices:
Humming or chanting “OM”
Cold water face splash
Deep belly breathing
Bee buzzing breath
Visualization of a loved one
Joint rotations (ankles, wrists, hips)
These gentle actions tell your brain: “It’s safe now.”
4 Foundations of Trauma Healing
1. Awareness
Understand your trauma responses. Techniques like yoga, mindfulness, and EMDR help bring unconscious patterns to light.
2. Agency
You are not what happened to you. Reclaiming autonomy, setting boundaries, and processing emotions like anger are essential steps.
3. Connection
Healing happens in relationship—to self, to others, to the land. Rebuilding trust in your body’s instincts, joining supportive communities, and nurturing joy creates regulation.
4. Harmony
Using Indigenous teachings like the Medicine Wheel, we explore holistic balance—emotional, spiritual, physical, and mental. True healing integrates all aspects of the self.
Somatic Practices for Healing Trauma
Somatic means of the body. These practices move us beyond talk therapy by addressing how trauma is held and released through the nervous system.
Here are a few powerful techniques from the workshop:
Butterfly Hug: Gently tapping your chest with crossed hands helps soothe the nervous system (used in EMDR therapy).
Eye Roll: A tool to desensitize trauma responses by using controlled eye movement.
Firm Body Tapping: Awakens sensory neurons and clears emotional tension from the body.
Stillness Practice: Resting with heightened sensations to build tolerance and safety.
Movement Activation: Using joint mobilization and shaking to release freeze responses.
Training the body in calm states builds capacity to respond rather than react when stress hits.
Final Thoughts: Healing is a Journey
There is no one-size-fits-all method for trauma healing. What I share is an invitation to build a relationship with your body and nervous system again—on your terms, in your time.
Whether you're just starting out or deep into your healing path, know that your body holds wisdom, memory, and resilience.
If you’re ready to explore these techniques in a safe, supportive space, I offer free consultations to discuss personalized healing plans using chiropractic, nervous system care, and trauma-informed tools.
Stay curious, stay open, and keep on growing.
—Dr. Sadie Laronde, D.C.
